Match Report | King’s Lynn Town 0-1 AFC Fylde

AFC Fylde claimed a huge three points against fellow promotion chasers King’s Lynn Town after Joe Rowley earned a 1-0 win at the Walks Stadium.

In a cagey affair in Norfolk, Fylde grew into the game as the minutes ran down and looked like a side that was sitting at the top of the table, with Rowley’s goal the difference in the end.

Confident play in the final third eventually led to Danny Whitehead playing a defence-splitting pass to Rowley, who took one touch and buried it into the bottom corner, which eventually proved to be the deciding goal.

Adam Murray made three changes to the side that secured a 1-0 victory over Alfreton Town, with Connor Barrett, Danny Whitehead & Bartosz Cybulski replacing Dan Pike, Dan Malone & Luke Charman.

A nervy opening ten minutes were to follow the first whistle, with the most dangerous of situations coming for the Coasters in the shape of corners, but nothing came of the set-pieces.

However, the first real chance of the clash came for the home side when a long ball over the top fell to Ben Stephens for him to square to Josh Barrett inside the 18-yard box, though Chris Neal was out quickly to deny him from opening the scoring.

Both sides were looking to go forward at any given time, and it was the Coasters’ turn to go next, with Rowley sent racing down the line to zip a ball across the face of goal for Luke Conlan to throw himself at before a last-ditch challenge came in to prevent him from a shot at goal.

Fylde started to grow into the game as the clock ticked down, and some silky play from the Coasters allowed Rowley a free run at goal to get a shot away, only for him to be kept out by a smart Tommy Dixon-Hodge save before Harry Davis had a header cleared off the line.

Half-Time: King’s Lynn Town 0-0 AFC Fylde   

Following the restart, both sides had opportunities, with Gold Omotayo being allowed a few free headers at goal, with nothing fruitful coming of them before Haughton blasted over from the edge of the area.

Fylde looked comfortable so far, more than their opponents, and that eventually brought the first goal of the game when nice passing play eventually brought Whitehead into play and allowed him to play a defence-splitting pass to Rowley, who took one touch and fired into the bottom corner.

In search of a second, Nick Haughton was picking up some nice positions and looked dangerous when being allowed time and space to turn, which led to him nearly adding a second, but his shot travelled inches over the bar.

Adam Murray then introduced the workhorse that is Will Hatfield, and he nearly turned provider when he whizzed a ball across the face of goal for Luke Charman to attack, though Lynn dealt with it well to clear.

The home side were throwing everything at it to try and snatch something, anything in the final minutes of the game, but Murray’s boys defended resolutely to keep the home side out and take home all three points.

Full-Time: King’s Lynn Town 0-1 AFC Fylde      

King’s Lynn Town: Dixon-Hodge, A.Jones, Callan-McFadden, Coulson, J.Jones, Clunan, Crowther, Widdrington, Barrett (60’ Cosgrave), Omotayo (79’ Ponticelli), Stephens (71’ Hughes).

Unused subs: Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ponticelli, Fleming.

AFC Fylde: Neal, Obi, Davis, Bird, Conlan, Barrett (57’ Pike), Whitehead, Philliskirk, Haughton (85’ Hatfield), Rowley (73’ Charman), Cybulski.

Unused Subs: Malone, Delfouneso.

The post Match Report | King’s Lynn Town 0-1 AFC Fylde appeared first on AFC Fylde.